

Again, bigger is better because portabilty is rarely an issue. If the tripod only weighs three or four pounds, it will struggle when loaded with a binocular of equal weight.

If you plan to use a binocular with more magnification than 10 or 12x and/or objective lenses of 70mm or more, you will need a mount of some type.

This is a key spec if you wear glasses.Choosing a right mount for your astronomy binocular is very important. For bright daylight viewing, exit pupil size is less important because almost all binoculars offer exit pupils that exceed 2mm.Įye relief is the distance between an eyepiece and your eye while the whole field of view is visible.For low-light situations, an exit pupil of 5mm or more is good: At dawn, dusk or with dense tree cover, having a high exit pupil number can make viewing easier.It indicates the size of the shaft of light that reaches your eyes, whose pupils vary from about 2mm in bright light to 7mm in total darkness. For 8x42 binoculars, 42 divided by 8 equals an exit pupil diameter of 5.25mm.
BINOCULAR STAND FULL
A higher number indicates better viewing in low-light situations, and it will be easier to maintain a full image of an object if your hands move or shake.Įxit pupil size is calculated by dividing the diameter of the objective lenses by the magnification number. Simply put, a higher number means brighter images. (Binoculars with higher quality optics will also have brighter images.) For two pairs of binoculars that otherwise have exactly the same specifications, the pair with larger objective lenses will capture more light, providing a brighter image. The diameter of the objective lenses plays a key role in how much light your binoculars can gather. So, always check that spec whenever you’re doing final comparisons. Magnification and size are the starting point, but optics and features should also factor into your decision.īe aware that binoculars with otherwise identical specs can have dramatically different fields of view (as much as 90 feet wider at 1,000 yards). How do I choose binoculars for specific uses? If you want binoculars for a specific primary purpose such as bird watching, whale watching or astronomy, the basic guidelines below can help narrow down your choices. What additional features are important to consider when buying binoculars? Protective touches like rubber coating, as well as waterproof and fog-proof construction, factor into price, and depending on your intended usage may be well worth the upgrade. Why are binoculars with similar specs pricier than others? It’s what’s inside that counts, and advanced optics are a big reason why the price of similar binoculars can differ by hundreds of dollars. (Below, we’ll go into more detail about binocular specs.) When you understand what these numbers mean and how they affect your viewing, you’ll know if you’re choosing binoculars that will be good for birding, stargazing or using on a moving boat, for example. Objective lens size gives you an understanding of how physically big the binoculars are and how much light they can gather. In 8x42 binoculars, for example, “8” is the magnification power and “42” is the diameter (in millimeters) of the objective lenses (the lenses closest to the object you’re viewing). What do the numbers (specs) on binoculars mean? Model numbers on binoculars essentially tell you their strength ( magnification power) and size ( objective lens diameter).
